Messy
by grrbaby
Summary: What's going on between Neville and Pansy as they repair the damage of tempers flared?
1. Trouble

Author's note. Pansy/Neville is an unusual sort of ship, although I know there are people on here that like it. I'm actually writing this because of a challenge madam-pyro set me. This is one of those not very great first chapters that are needed to set up the premise of the fic. I beg you to stay with it, it gets juicy, and updates should be fairly often because I'm on uni holidays right now :D Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to the goddess, J.K. Rowling     

Professor Sprout hurried across the vegetable patch towards the greenhouse, from which shouting voices echoed.

            "Well, look who got a spine! Too bad you'll end up just like them one day!" a girl shrieked.

            Upon entering the room, the scene the Professor witnessed made her jaw drop. Pansy Parkinson and Neville Longbottom were standing in the middle of the space, wands raised and faces glowing red and furious. The rest of the Herbology class was huddled at the back, looking fearful. The biggest shock, however, was thestate of the greenhouse. It was utterly trashed. Pots and containers that had held plants were broken, leaving the plats scattered over the ground. Many had been stripped of foliage, or had branches torn off. Several glass panels of the roof and sides had been smashed. Chunks of the benches and indeed, the floor, were missing. Professor Sproud had left the room for fifteen minutes at the most, having been to the Hospital Wing for assistance with a remedy.

            "_Expelliarmus_!" Sprout shouted, and the wands flew out of Pansy and Neville's hands. Both turned to the teacher in surprise.

            "P-Professor.." Neville stuttered.

            Sprout glared at both students.

            "I  suggest you explain yourselves immediately"

            "Longbottom started it!" Pansy spat out.

            "Miss Parkinson! I would expect such a thing from a seven-year-old, not a seventeen-year-old!" Sprout hissed. She turned to Neville, who was one of her favourite students, as he was one of the few that showed any passion for the subject.

            "Now Neville, what happened here?" she asked, hoping for a rational explanation.

            "Well Professor, I _accidentally _dropped Pansy's Fanged Fern. It was an _accident_" he stressed.

            "Bull" Pansy muttered under her breath. Sprout glared at her again.

            "That doesn't explain why anyone destroyed the greenhouse, Neville"

"Well, when I dropped it, Pansy went off at me," Neville glanced at Pansy, who was staring at him with hatred, "and I apologized, but she kept on going. And she err" (he swallowed) "said some horrible things about my parents".

            Several students, still at the far end of the room, nodded in agreement.

            "And so you what, Neville? Started a brawl with a girl?" Sprout accused him. Neville flushed a deeper shade of red.

            "Er, no Professor. I tried to jinx her. And then she tried to jinx me. And then, um…" he simply gestured to the chaos of the classroom.

            "Right". Sprout was severely disappointed in him. "Pansy, does that correspond with your story?"

            "He dropped my plant on purpose, Professor! He hates me, he hates my plant"

            "Yes, well, it _did _try and bite me" Neville said quietly.

            "Alright, enough of that! Will you two please follow me to my office? The rest of you, uh, class dismissed" she said, flustered, and marched out of the greenhouse.

            Pansy and Neville, throwing more stormy glances at eachother, left simultaneously, until reaching the door, where both attempted to pass at the same time. Pansy growled and Neville, mock-gentlemanly, stepped back allowing Pansy to storm a few paces ahead of him all the way to Sprout's office. They found her seated her desk, furious expression still etched on her face.

            "Sit" she ordered, gesturing to two chairs in front of the desk. They did so promptly.

            "Now. Usually if we find students fighting, we send them to their Heads of House to be disciplined. However, this is a special case. Not only have you broken school rules, but you've put that greenhouse in ruins. Because that's predominantly a 7th Year Herbology room, you've places quite a bit of your classmates' NEWT work in danger, which is incredibly unfair of you. I can fix the glass of the greenhouse, but you must make amends for your actions. So, you will first apologise to the class for your _incredibly _immature behaviour-"

            "But-" Pansy started.

            "She-" Neville protested.

            "- and that's _exactly _what I'm talking about! You've obviously let a petty misunderstanding get way out of hand. So, firstly you will apologise. And secondly, you will spend three hours every night, for as long as it takes, to put that room back in order and ensure that every plant housed within is returned to the best of health" she finished.

            "But Professor Sprout, we have so much work to do already, the NEWTS are only a few months away!" Neville pleaded.

            "And that's exactly why your classmates shouldn't have to suffer just because you two couldn't control yourselves. You'll just have to find a way to do your other work as well," she turned to Pansy, "and _you _Miss Parkinson, will not be finding a way out of this. No excuse notes from Professor Snape, and no getting Longbottom here to do all the work for you, although I highly doubt he'd let you". Pansy simply pouted.

            "Well, I suggest you go to lunch. I'll fix the windows tonight. At 5pm tomorrow, you will go to the greenhouse and begin your work. Understood?"

            Both nodded. Neither had ever seen Sprout in such a temper. She was usually cheerful, if a bit scatty.

            "Okay, get out of my sight. By the way, just because I am giving out the punishment does not mean Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall will not be told of your behaviour".

"Yes Professor" said Neville as he stood from his seat. While still pulsing with anger from what Pansy had said about his parents, his stomach was sinking. He dreaded what McGonagall would say if Sprout were to tell her. Even more, he dreaded what would happen if McGonagall were to write and owl to his grandmother and tell her of the fight. He could already imagine getting a Howler at breakfast.

They both rushed out of the office and headed toward the Great Hall. Pansy strode away towards the Slytherin table, and Ginny rushed up to Neville.

"What happened? Seamus told me you got into a big fight with that foul pansy Parkinson in Herbology!" she said nervously. Neville sighed.

            "Let me tell you about it…"

_Please review!_


	2. The Agenda For This Evening

            Disclaimer: If you recognize it from the book, J.K Rowling invented it.

            A/N: Thanks reviewers J Enjoy!

A heavy steam was rising from the bath in the Prefect's Bathroom as Pansy slipped in. Draco was waiting for her at the other end. The bathroom was one of the few places in the school where they had privacy – the mermaid in the painting squealed and swam away when Draco entered the room, as he had once threatened to slash her canvas is she dared say a word to anyone about what they did in there. There were the dorms, of course, but boys can't get into the girls' dorms and most of the people in Slytherin were sneaky rats who would dob you in to get themselves ahead in a second. The Prefect's Bathroom, therefore, was perfect, as only a few people knew about it, and once you were inside it let no-one else in until you were finished (Draco and Pansy therefore had to be careful not to be seen as they had to enter together).

            Draco relaxed in a corner, his arms resting on the sides to support himself. Pansy, as she swam hungrily toward him, could appreciate that while on other boys pale skin made them seem geeky, it gave Draco an air of regality. And after six years of Quidditch, his arms were to die for. He turned his grey eyes toward her.

            "Got a detention, have you? What a naughty little girls" he said teasingly.

            It wasn't love. It was mutual using. Pansy fawned over him, admired him for everything he was and represented – prestige, wealth, superiority. Draco, on the other hand, simply allowed it. Her worship fed his immense ego and served to cover up his other dalliances. Their parents were old friends who moved in the same 'circles', and Pansy was the kind of girl Draco's parents approved of – and apparent devotion to her left him free to sleep around as much as he liked. And like it he did.

            "Bloody Neville Longbottom. I'm gonna be stuck in that room for God knows how long. Who cares about stupid plants anyway?" Pansy grumbled.

            "And I'm sure you did nothing to provoke him. A complete innocent bystander" Draco smirked.

            "He was asking for it" Pansy pouted as she slid on top of Draco and nibbled on his ear. He rolled his eyes and let her have her way with him. It had occurred to him many times there was no point in fighting her off. She was quite a formidable (and violent) woman.

            "Neville Longbottom..." Draco said, deep in thought. Pansy glared at him.

            "I'm doing _this _and you're thinking about _him_?"

            "Oh yeah, he's such a hottie", he said sardonically, "did you know he could have been the boy who lived?"

            "As if" Pansy snorted.

            "I kid you not. It was in a prophecy".

            "I know about the prophecy, Draco".

            "Well, think about what it said. A child born at the of July to parents who'd thrice defied the Dark Lord", Draco stated, "it could have only been Potter or Longbottom".

            "How do you know all this?"

            "How do you _think _I know?"

            "Your father"

            "Of course. Wants me to keep an eye on the idiot for some reason. Potter obviously isn't the only one the Death Eaters are paranoid about' he said, half-musing, half- informing Pansy, 'but _Longbottom, _seriously. Not quite as pathetic as he used to be, but a threat to the Dark Lord? Hardly. At least Potter can perform a spell without doing injury to himself". Pansy sniggered along with him.           

            "And how is it you're expected to 'keep an eye' on him? You're not in the same house, thank God, the only class you share in Transfiguration, and that old hag McGonagall keeps a watchful eye on things. Oh, and he hates you with a passion" she said in a matter-of-fact manner.

            "I know that, the feeling's mutual. But it's not exactly wise to refuse my father. Or disappoint him" Draco scowled.

            "So…?" Pansy asked, straddling him.

            "I'm thinking".

            A thought crossed Pansy's mind at that moment. It was never too early to get in with the future in-laws.

            "I could do it for you" she grinned. Draco's eyebrows rose.

            "Right. I've heard whispers of what you said about his parents today. I don't really think he's gonna be too keen".

            Pansy's eyes widened like a mock-impression of Bambi.

            "I can change" he said in a girlish voice, probably not realizing how much she sounded like Umbridge.

            "You're serious?" Draco asked incredulously. Pansy could no longer hold up the expression.

            "Look, I've got three hours a day until all those damn plants are healthy. I really can't think of anything better to do than fuck with Longbottom's head. I'll be sugar and spice and find out anything you need me to," her finger stroked his cheek, "would that make you happy?"

            Draco was fighting between a smirk and a smile.

            "If you can pull this off…"        

"Look. The prospects really aren't good for you. At least _I_ can use my feminine charms".

Draco fought not to roll his eyes at the idea that Pansy thought she had any feminine charms.

"Isn't he dating the Weasley girl?" Draco asked. It was a possible catch in the plan.

"Yeah, so what?"

"You'd better watch out. Violent tendencies. Runs in that freakish family".

"You think I can't handle anything a Weasley throws at me?"

"I'm sure you can. She just might want to hang on to her man. Marry herself out of poverty" he said with a snort.

"So it's a plan?" she asked, her eyes shining. Her eagerness to please was astounding.

"Yes. You know, I don't know what I'm going to do without you around every night" he said raffishly.

"Jack off" Pansy growled. Draco simply smirked at her, and hoisted himself out of the water, allowing Pansy to admire his body as he sauntered towards his towel.


	3. Pansy Strokes

            Disclaimer: The Hogwarts world belongs to J.K Rowling. I'm just screwing around with it.

            A/N Sorry for taking so long to update. I had a wee bit of writers block. Thanks for your reviews. Make sure you check out the result of my challenge to madam-pyro here: MsoNormal>Malfoy Iz Mai Pony: "ho hum"? If you really don't like it, I'm not forcing you to come back, you know ;)

Neville stomped towards the greenhouse, dreading entering. Since the night in the Department of Mysteries in 5th Year, he had tried harder at school, especially in Defence against the Dark Arts, to make himself more prepared for when it happened again. His confidence had grown - as had his hatred for Dark wizards and witches. Pansy Parkinson, with her attitude, taste in men and even taste in plants, screamed 'Death Eater in training' to Neville. She even, in many ways, reminded him of the woman who had tortured his parents, Bellatrix Lestrange. When that thought occurred to him he could never look at her the same way again, and the feeling had only intensified after her comments of the day before.

            When he entered the greenhouse he saw her sitting on a bench, dangling her legs and already looking haughty and bored. When she spotted him she sighed with great theatrics and slid off the workbench.

            "Has Professor Sprout been here?" Neville asked, reluctant to speak to her at all, but finding it necessary.

            "She left a note", Pansy said, picking up a sheet of parchment off the bench and scanning it, "blah blah blah staff meeting, blah blah blah control yourselves, blah blah blah start with repairing pots and re-planting" she muttered, then stared at him with a blank look.

            Neville moved to the left side of the classroom, where there was a heap of broken pots. Pansy stood in the same spot with her arms folded.

            "I'm not doing this by myself, you know" Neville said, getting his wand out. Pansy heaved another great sight, rolling her eyes as well, moved to another spot nearby and got her own wand out.

            "_Reparo_" Neville said, and a heap of pottery shards converted into their original form. The pair worked their way around the room slowly, and by seven o'clock the room looked considerably tidier, with dozens of empty but whole pots sitting around the room. They did not utter a word in these two hours. His own _mimbulus__ mimbletonia _untouched, Neville moved toward Seamus' Brawn Blossom. Liquid held in the centre of the flowers of the plant when drunk provided incredible strength, but was notoriously hard to get to - the plant had a defensive reaction not unlike the Whomping Willow. Re-planting it would be impossible without Pansy's help to satiate it, and he couldn't afford not to. Not only would Seamus be angry with him, but the plant was also invaluable and would not survive long sitting on the ground. Neville reluctantly glanced at Pansy.

            "Would you mind helping me with this? He asked as politely as he could. Pansy glanced back.

            "You're joking".

            "No, I really need to replant this".

            "It's vicious!"

            "You can talk. Look at your precious Fanged Fern".

            Pansy looked highly affronted, and walked to the far side of the greenhouse.

            "You wouldn't like me to tell Professor Sprout you were being difficult, would you?" Neville called to her. She whipped around, raising an eyebrow.

            "Suit yourself" she said, but walked toward him.

            "What do I have to do, anyway?" she asked nervously when she reached him.

            "Just stroke this branch here. It's a bit like that book Hagrid gave us in 3rd year. It relaxes it" Neville explained. She looked at him dubiously.

            "If this thing hits me, you're dead" she said threateningly. Neville was getting well and truly sick of her.

            "Look, if you do what I showed you, it won't. Just don't stop until I'm finished. Now, are you ready?"

            Pansy nodded and moved towards it hesitantly. Her hand slid along the branch like Neville had seen Seamus do so many times in class. The branch was easy to find, as it was completely bare and smooth. Neville reached towards the base of the plant, and not finding himself in a barrage of branches, grabbed the trunk and lifted.

            "Can you see Seamus' pot?" he grunted at Pansy.

            "How should I know what it looks like?" she asked nonchalantly.

            It was Neville's turn to roll his eyes. He peered around the trunk and saw the pot nearby.         

            "Okay, I'm moving. Don't stop stroking" he warned, the shuffled towards the pot. The Brawn Blossom was rather heavy. With a great effort, he heaved the plant over the rim of the pot and inside. He jumped back and Pansy dropped the branch in shock. Her eyes widened as she ducked out of the way, but a flailing branch had caught her cheek. She backed out of the way quickly, and glared fiercely at Neville. There were tears of pain in her eyes, a cut on her cheek, and it was quickly going red. There would be a bruise in the morning.

            "Asshole" she snarled and stalked out of the greenhouse, leaving Neville with the dilemma of a vicious plant in a pot with no soil. Five minutes later, he shambled away.

            Pansy made her way to the Slytherin quarters after stopping at the Hospital Wing to get Madam Pomfrey to fix the cut and give her ice for her swelling cheek. When the door swung inwards, she found Draco lounging in the common room. There were few people around, and she approached him, clutching the ice to her face.

            "Well, that went well" he said sarcastically.

            "It was a plant" she spat back.

            "Asshole" he said in a teary manner, a perfect imitation of her.

            "You were _there_?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing.

            "I thought I had better keep an eye on you"

            "But how?" she asked.

            "I didn't take Transfiguration for the fun of it, love" he said with a smirk.

            "Alright" she said blankly. He must have Transfigured into a plant.         

            "So what happened to 'sugar and spice'? You seemed to be just as much of a bitch as usual, I must say".

            "Well, it would be a bit out of character to be all lovey-dovey the day after I tried to hex him into oblivion, wouldn't it?" Pansy replied. Draco just cocked an eyebrow.

            "And please don't spy on me every night, Draco".

            "That was just a one-night thing", he stated, "I'll be far too busy to do that every night" he added, with a sly smile.


End file.
